Paper cutting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Cutting apparatus comprises upper and lower members, between which a cutting blade is located and between which a web to be cut is inserted. The lower member which supports the web is shaped to provide minimal wear and friction, and the upper member, rearwardly of the blade, is shaped to insure separation of the cut portions of the web so that the cutting operation is performed safely and easily without the web becoming jammed between the two members.

1451 July 25, 1972 [54] PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS [72] lnventor: Berthelemi J. Bolduc, 30 Bennett St.,

Fords, NJ. 08863 [22] Filed: July 14, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,724

Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Atmrney-Robert A. Green ABSTRACT [52] 11.8. C1 [51] Int. Cl ..B26b 29/00 Cutting apparatus comprises upper and lower members, [58] Field of Search ..30/294. 289, 314, 286, 280; bet een hich a cutt ng blade is located and et en wh ch a 83/564, 105, 648 Web to be cut is inserted. The lower member which supports the web is shaped to provide minimal wear and friction, and 5 References Cited the upper member, rearwardly of the blade, is shaped to insure separation of the cut portions of the web so that the cutting UNITED STATES PATENTS operation is performed safely and easily without the web becoming jammed between the two members. 2,603,866 7/1952 Rice ..30/294 1,821,716 9/1931 Kusiv ..30/294 UX 13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures J l1 1' Inf 1;, 260 1: @360 36$ :15: peggg ,m 90\ ff 290 70 2. L &-

40 30 29o a7o 280 so PAPER CUTTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates particularly to relatively small, hand-operated apparatus for cutting webs of varying thicknesses, particularly paper. The prior art provides no teaching of this general type of apparatus which can cut paper of different thicknesses and, particularly, thin paper with the cut being initiated easily, with the apparatus showing minimal wear over long periods of time, with the paper or other web, no matter how thin, never being jammed as it passes through the apparatus, and with the apparatus being completely safe to operate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, apparatus embodying the invention comprises upper and lower members, between which a cutting blade is located and between which a web to be cut is inserted. The upper and lower members are shaped so that the cutting operation is performed safely and easily without the web becoming jammed between the two members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing some of the features of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Web cutting apparatus embodying the invention, referring to the drawing, includes a bottom or base member of plastic or the like, which is generally thin and flat and includes a top surface 30, a bottom surface 40, a left edge 50, a right edge 60, a rear edge 70, and a front edge 80. The bottom surface 40 of the base 20 is flat, and a wall 90 rises vertically from the top surface and extends forwardly from the rear edge 70 to perhaps the center or just back of the center of the base. The wall is relatively thin and is of suitable height for coupling to the upper or top member 100 of the apparatus. The wall 90 also has a leading edge 110 which is tapered to form something like a knife-edge although it need not be of cutting sharpness.

Forwardly of the wall 90, the base 20 is provided with an elongated slot 120 which is aligned with the wall 90 and, in effect, is a continuation thereof. The slot 120 is formed and defined in part by two metal plates 130 and 140 inserted into the top surface of the base member. The plates have tapered top surfaces 150 and 160 arranged so that they taper downwardly and away from a high point or apex 170 and 180 along their adjacent edges which form the slot. These surfaces of the metal plate blend with the adjacent portions of the top of the base member which continue to curve downwardly toward the right and left edges of the base. As can be seen in FIG. 1, this portion of the top surface of the base member also tapers gradually and smoothly from front to rear from about the leading edge 110 of the wall 90 to the front edge 80 of the base member.

Referring again to the slot 120, the facing surfaces 190 and 200 of the plates 130 and 140 which form the slot are tapered so that the upper edges 170 and 180 at the entrance of the slot 120 are close together, and they taper away from each other gradually, as do the adjacent surfaces 210 and 220 of the main body portion of the base in which the metal plates are embedded. The taper and the slot extend downwardly to the bottom surface of the base member. The rear end 230 of the slot is also tapered toward the rear of the apparatus.

The upper member 100 of the cutting apparatus 10 is generally T-shaped and includes a flat vertical upper portion 240 and a vertical wall 250 which extends downwardly along its length from about the center thereof. The wall 250 includes a narrow, rectangular slot or chamber 260 which extends rearwardly from the front thereof to close to the front end of the wall 90 of the base 20. The slot 260 is adapted to receive a cutting blade 270 with its cutting edge 280 just accessible beneath the lower edge 290 of the wall. The cutting blade 270 is held in place in the slot by means of a pin 300 secured to wall 250 near the front end thereof which passes through a hole in the blade of about the same size as the pin, and the pin 300 acts as a pivot point. Rearwardly the wall 250 carries a second small pin 310, and the blade is provided with a hole 320, through which the pin 310 passes. The hole 320 is considerably larger than the pin 310 so that the blade can move with respect to the front pin 300 while still guided by the rear pin 310.

The wall 250 also includes a suitable chamber 330 above the blade in which a compression spring 340 is positioned to bear against the blade and thus bias the blade 270 outwardly toward the base and web to be cut, as will be described below. Rearwardly of the blade slot, the wall 250 of the upper member has a rectangular slot 350 which can receive the wall 90 of the base member and at least two holes aligned with similar holes in the base wall in which rivets, screws, or other suitable securing members 360 can be inserted to lock the base member and upper member together.

According to the invention, the adjacent lower surfaces 290 of the wall on either side of the blade are flat and taper gradually from front to rear so that the wall 250 is somewhat higher at the front end of the apparatus. The taper may end at about the end of the blade. However, again according to the invention, the portion 290' of the lower surfaces of the wall 250 along the second slot 350 are tapered or bevelled downwardly away from the slot and toward the wall 240 of the upper member. This bevel or taper originates at about point 370 just ahead of the leading edge of the wall of the base and 40 just ahead of the rear edge of the blade 270. These bevelled surfaces 290' are provided for an important purpose to be described. v

In operation of the invention, a web 383, such as a paper sheet to be cut, is inserted between the upper and lower members 20 and and is pushed rearwardly through the apparatus, and it is cut by the blade 270 as it moves past the blade. In actual practice, the invention is operated by holding the paper stationary, positioning it between the upper and lower members 20 and 100, and pushing the cutter along to cut the paper. The apparatus has such features as described, that webs of different thicknesses can be cut, and the apparatus can be moved to perform a cutting operation at substantially any desired speed or as fast as the hand can move it.

Considering the apparatus 10, the tapered metal plates and which define the slot 120 provide a small, practically knife-edge surface (edges and on which the web rides so that there is little resistance to passage of the web. In addition, as the web reaches the bevelled portion 290' of the lower surfaces of the upper wall at point 370, this bevelled portion causes the two out portions of the web to follow such a path that the cut portions separate and cannot jam in the apparatus at the upstanding wall 90. Also, since the blade is pivoted about pin 300, relatively thick webs can be accommodated, and, as such webs pass through the apparatus, they bear against the blade and cause it to pivot upwardly about the front pin 300. Thus, the thick web is accommodated and passed through.

It is to be noted that the widening taper of slot 120 permits paper dust to pass through and out of the slot, thus preventing clogging of the slot. If, by chance, a scrap of paper or the like happens to catch in the slot, the apparatus, or at least the thin base, has such flexibility that the blade can be forced into the slot 120 to push through anything that may be caught in the slot.

What is claimed is:

1. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a top surface and a slot,

an upper member secured to said base member,

said upper member carrying a cutting blade which is aligned with said slot in said base,

a fixed wall secured to said base member and positioned behind and aligned with said blade and engaging said upper member and adapted to separate the two portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade,

said upper member having a lower horizontal surface facing said base member and comprising a guide surface adjacent to said blade for guiding said sheet, said guide surface extending along the entire length of said upper member with the portion thereof rearward of said blade being bevelled upwardly at a small angle to the horizontal plane.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said slot extends completely through said base member to discharge particles of said sheet which are a by-product of the cutting process.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two out portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade.

4, The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall secured to said base member and positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade,

said portion of said guide surface which is bevelled being positioned adjacent to said vertical wall whereby it can assist in separating said cut portions of said paper.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall rising from the top surface of said base member positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as they are cut by said blade,

said guide surface extending from front to rear of said apparatus and including first portions disposed on either side of said blade and second portions disposed on either side of said vertical wall.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said first portions are generally fiat and said second portions are bevelled.

7. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a top surface and a slot therein,

an upper member secured to said base member,

said upper member carrying a cutting blade which is aligned with said slot in said base,

said slot being defined by walls having adjacent upper edges and with said top surface of said base adjacent to said upper edges of said walls tapering downwardly therefrom so that a small knife-like surface area is contacted by a web as it is cut,

said upper member having a lower horizontal surface facing said base member and comprising a guide surface adjacent to said blade and extending from front to rear of said apparatus for guiding a web.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein a pair of metal plates are seated in the top surface of said base member and are spaced apart to form said slot.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 7 and including means pivotally mounting said blade so that it can be pivoted by a sheet of paper as it is cut, said means including a bias spring.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 7 and including a vertical upstanding wall rising from the top surface of said base member and extending into a second slot in said upper member and positioned rearwardly of said first slot and said cutting blade.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall rising from the top surface of said base member positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as they are cut by said blade,

said guide surface extending from front to rear of said apparatus and including first portions disposed on either side of said blade and second portions disposed on either side of said vertical wall.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said first portions of said guide surface are generally flat and said second portions of said guide surface are bevelled.

13. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a front end and a rear end and containing a first slot and having a top surface which tapers gradually downwardly toward the front end thereof,

said first slot extending along the longitudinal axis of said base member from about the center thereof to close to the front end thereof,

a vertical wall positioned on the longitudinal axis of said base member aligned with said slot and rising upwardly from the top surface of said base member,

said vertical wall being positioned rearwardly of said slot and extending from about the center of said base member to near to the rear edge thereof,

an upper member secured to said vertical wall and comprising a pair of spaced-apart walls which define a second slot in which a cutting blade is pivotally mounted in alignment with said first slot in said base member and extending from the front to the rear of said upper member,

said vertical wall being positioned in said second slot rearwardly of said blade,

said spaced-apart walls having bottom surfaces which are positioned adjacent to the top surface of said base member,

said bottom surfaces including first portions which are flat and extend along said cutting blade and second portions which extend along said vertical wall rearwardly of said cutting blade, said second portions being bevelled to assist in separating cut portions of a sheet of paper. 

1. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a top surface and a slot, an upper member secured to said base member, said upper member carrying a cutting blade which is aligned with said slot in said base, a fixed wall secured to said base member and positioned behind and aligned with said blade and engaging said upper member and adapted to separate the two portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade, said upper member having a lower horizontal surface facing said base member and comprising a guide surface adjacent to said blade for guiding said sheet, said guide surface extending along the entire length of said upper member with the portion thereof rearward of said blade being bevelled upwardly at a small angle to the horizontal plane.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said slot extends completely through said base member to discharge particles of said sheet which are a by-product of the cutting process.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall secured to said base member and positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as it is cut by said blade, said portion of said guide surface which is bevelled being positioned adjacent to said vertical wall whereby it can assist in separating said cut portions of said paper.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall rising from the top surface of said base member positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as they are cut by said blade, said guide surface extending from front to rear of said apparatus and including first portions disposed on either side of said blade and second portions disposed on either side of said vertical wall.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said first portions are generally flat and said second portions are bevelled.
 7. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a top surface and a slot therein, an upper member secured to said base member, said upper member carrying a cutting blade which is aligned with said slot in said base, said slot being defined by walls having adjacent upper edges and with said top surface of said base adjacent to said upper edges of said walls tapering downwardly therefrom so that a small knife-like surface area is contacted by a web as it is cut, said upper member having a lower horizontal surface facing said base member and comprising a guide surface adjacent to said blade and extending from front to rear of said apparatus for guiding a web.
 8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein a pair of metal plates are seated in the top surface of said base member and are spaced apart to form said slot.
 9. The apparatus defined in claim 7 and including means pivotally mounting said blade so that it can be pivoted by a sheet of paper as it is cut, said means including a bias spring.
 10. The apparatus defined in claim 7 and including a vertical upstanding wall rising from the top surface of said base member and extending into a second slot in said upper member and positioned rearwardly of said first slot and said cutting blade.
 11. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said blade is oriented vertically and including a vertical wall rising from the top surface of said base member positioned rearwardly of said blade and adapted to separate two cut portions of a sheet of paper as they are cut by said blade, said guide surface extending from front to rear of said apparatus and including first portions disposed on either side of said blade and second portions disposed on either side of said vertical wall.
 12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said first portions of said guide surface are generally flat and said second portions of said guide surface are bevelled.
 13. Paper cutting apparatus comprising a base member having a front end and a rear end and containing a first slot and having a top surface which tapers gradually downwardly toward the front end thereof, said first slot extending along the longitudinal axis of said base member from about the center thereof to close to the front end thereof, a vertical wall positioned on the longitudinal axis of said base member aligned with said slot and rising upwardly from the top surface of said base member, said vertical wall being positioned rearwardly of said slot and extending from about the center of said base member to near to the rear edge thereof, an upper member secured to said vertical wall and comprising a pair of spaced-apart walls which define a second slot in which a cutting blade is pivotally mounted in alignment with said first slot in said base member and extending from the front to the rear of said upper member, said vertical wall being positioned in said second slot rearwardly of said blade, said spaced-apart walls having bottom surfaces which are positioned adjacent to the top surface of said base member, said bottom surfaces including first portions which are flat and extend along said cutting blade and second portions which extend along said vertical wall rearwardly of said cutting blade, said second portions being bevelled to assist in separating cut portions of a sheet of paper. 